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Democracy Pilgrim Jeanette Wallis On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience |
Current rating: 3 |
by Jeanette Wallis
(No verified email address) |
19 Mar 2003
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Remember that girl who walked through U-C on her way to D.C., collecting the grievances of the people to carry and deliver to George W. Bush? Here's some of her thoughts on the eve of war... |
"It takes neither moral nor physical courage to declare a war for
others to fight." - Claude Kitchin, one of the 49 members of Congress
who cast votes against entry into WWI
It is the eve of World War III, and I find myself at a loss for what
to say. There is much to talk about, of course - but where do I begin?
I am in Oxford, Ohio - a lovely college town with little to offer
folks like me in the way of solace during these troubled times. Miami
University is a grand old school, founded in the early 1800's. Its
stony walls and groves of dogwood trees have stood in stoic vigil
over every major battle since the Civil War. The civil rights
movement gained momentum from this place in 1964, when 3 students
from Miami disappeared en route to "Mississippi Summer". They were on
their way to register Negro voters. The charred remains of their car
were found before their bodies finally were, and it was later
revealed that their license plates had been circulated among a number
of hate groups down South. A small amphitheater in West Campus
chronicles the turn of events that summer, and pays tribute to all
activists who sacrifice their lives for peace and justice.
I thought of my fellow Washingtonian from Olympia, Rachel Corrie, who
had been murdered only yesterday by an Israeli soldier - run over by
a bulldozer as she stood defending a Palestinian physician's home
from yet another senseless demolition. I know how passionate I become
in the face of provocation. I know without a doubt that I would have
done the same thing. When the only thing you have to fight with is
your body and your voice, you have no choice but to lay them both
down for the cause. What's the alternative? Giving up?
I didn't know Rachel Corrie, but I probably marched with her in the
streets of Seattle - that jewel of a city which gave courage to so
many of us who saw with our own eyes the power of solidarity and non-
violent direct action. We shut down the WTO! You can't imagine the
David and Goliath experience we all shared... that right can beat
might. One jail guard I spoke to brushed it off as 'cognitive
dissonance' - a social phenomena that occurs when you've been through
a shared traumatic experience. This theory postulates that you take
on the thoughts and opinions of those around you in order to 'fit in'
and increase conformity within the group.
If I were an unquestioning idiot, that might be true. Instead, I like
to think that I merely opened myself up to the people who had the
information in order to learn, not conform. I've never been much of a
conformist, and I am constantly seeking information from all sides of
a problem... hence the whole walking- 3,000-miles-across-America
thing.
No, I think I understand why Rachel sat down in the path of that
bulldozer. She remembered how we had won in the face of intense
provocation using nothing but love, solidarity, and strength of
conviction. She believed with her whole heart that the soldier would
stop. She believed in the power of one, and she believed she would
single-handedly save that family's house. She was willing to stake
her life on her beliefs. What have I always said? You don't lose
unless you give up. I imagine that she believed this to the very end,
and her legacy will prove that it is, in fact, always true. Our
bodies are fleeting. It is our spirit of dedication to a higher law
than the ones prescribed by Guys In Suits which will live on after
these 'clay garments' (as Peace Pilgrim described our current
physical forms) decay. I can't verify it from news sources yet - but
I'll wager she did save that house, if only for that one day.
My thoughts wandered back to Oxford, where the only people sitting at
the monument now were students more interested in discussing last
night's drunken St. Paddy's day follies than the impending war. Miami
is largely a business school now, swarming with teems of Ralph Lauren
clad youth eagerly learning how to make their quarterly budget
reports and increase their profit margins. The golf class was busy
improving their game. Laughter from the Lacrosse players drifted
across sprouts of emerald grass, only recently liberated from their
snowy shrouds. Everything was clean, pure, and divine. It is, in
fact, how things should be. Youngsters without a care in the world.
Bills dutifully forwarded to dad for worry-free resolution. The
breezy exchange of Spring Break stories. Everyone agreeing that Fuji
is a great place to vacation... even with your parents.
Wandering around campus later with my ubiquitous backpack bearing the
words "5,000 Miles On Foot For Democracy", I scanned each face for
even a twitch in response to my "No War In Iraq" button. I didn't see
any other buttons. How happy I would have been today to find even ONE
person publicly bearing witness to their political beliefs on a day
like this! All I could find was a "God Bless America" shirt with the
word "$OLD" emblazoned across the American flag. A few folks stopped
to chat, asking the usual questions:
"When did you start?"
"How long has it taken you?"
"When are you going to get there?"
"How many shoes have you gone through?"
I didn't feel like talking about the walk much. I kept reminding
people about that war thing that's supposed to start tomorrow. People
were by and large opposed, but certainly none were willing to
actually express it openly. What would people think? I was told many
times over what a "conservative" school this was, though I could not
for the life of me figure out why that gave the kids blanket
permission to disengage. Are conservatives magically protected from
the ravages of war? Have I been wrong this whole time... should I
amend the "War is bad for children and other living beings" slogan
with the qualification "...except if you're conservative, in which
case you should go on with your lives as usual because war doesn't
really affect you"?
No one wrote a grievance for me today. I was fortunate enough to have
had interactions with some passionate peace activists over the
weekend in Richmond, Indiana. Otherwise I may have gone ballistic in
this hotbed of student apathy. I even had the opportunity to meet
Father Roy Bourgois, founder of the School of Americas Watch, and a
big hero of mine, but that's all for another time.
I don't feel much like addressing the challenges of winter or the
freedom of my newfound life-without-support-vehicle. My petty
discomforts and triumphs are of little consequence now. I'm thinking
about all of those kids in uniform on the other side of the world -
the same age as the kids I saw today who worried about being too hung
over to finish their assignments. I'm imagining our kids in uniform
huddled in a sandstorm, wondering if today will be the last day of
their life. Maybe they're wondering about the biological weapons they
will be exposed to, or the depleted uranium impact dust that nearly
200,000 Desert Storm were exposed to and sickened by. Certainly
they're wishing they were back home, hanging out with their
friends... maybe going to the bar. It's what I would be thinking
about. Maybe they're hoping for a miracle. Perhaps in the back of
their mind, they're hoping those peaceniks back home might actually
stop this war before it starts - saving them from war's deadly
embrace. At the very least, we might be able to keep them from
becoming the killers they are not.
I've worked with many Vietnam vets over the years. (note: Check out
veteransforpeace.org if you're a vet who wants to get involved). I've
been taken in by vets from every war since World War II. Remember
WWII? "The Good War"? "The war to end all wars"? People actually
believed that propaganda. There is much in our history that I can
look back on and wonder, "Why the hell did people buy this?" I've
often wondered what I would have done back then, when dissent was not
nearly as tolerated as it is today. Would I have stood up to the
rhetoric? Would I have risked jail time, ridicule, or even death for
speaking out against the stupid institution of war? That was a crime
which carried the charge of "treason" back then, by the way.
I'd like to think I would have. I'd like to imagine that I would have
been one of the people during the rise of the Third Reich back in
Germany who screamed at the parades that the Emperor had no clothes
while everyone else was goose-stepping. Or maybe I would have been
one of the many brave people who risked certain death by harboring
Jews or sending them to safety. I like to believe I wouldn't have
been one of the silent multitudes who maintained the status quo as
indifference turned into the horror that a holocaust was occurring in
their own country. By then, it was too late to speak.
I'm not going to speculate what the 24 million people of Iraq (50% of
them under the age of 18) are feeling right now, waiting for the
largest and most concentrated use of military firepower in the
history of the world to descend upon them. I know that the average
red-blooded American fence-straddler would simply blast me for
being "too liberal" in my concern for non-American human beings, so
let's just talk about our soldiers for now, because I'm friends with
quite a few of our boys who are in the Middle East. They tell me
different things than they tell the press or their recruiters or even
their parents, and they ARE scared right now. You'd better believe it.
They'll give it their best, alright. They're certainly not cowards.
I'm sure they're each hoping to be the heroic one that'll "Get
Saddam". They want to make Mom proud. They want to make their country
proud. They are not the enemy, and I will not stand for any more of
the "I hate America" or "I don't support our troops" accusations I've
been hearing lately from the proponents of the upcoming carnage. (My
own father accused me of this, so I know from whence I speak.) When
they're out of uniform, the kids in uniform I've befriended over the
course of this walk frequently and lavishly thanked me for doing what
I'm doing.
"Keep it up", they said. "We need more of it."
I guess that's what I want to talk about now - how to keep it up. It
is my challenge to all of you.
I know there are many of you who have spent collective hours in the
bitter cold holding signs over the last couple of months, sincerely
hoping that all your hard organizing work would actually keep this
day from happening. It is very easy to get discouraged now. No one
seems to be listening. Our president has not met with a single NGO
(non-governmental organization) with actual alternatives to war. Not
one. It would seem that a decision as large as starting World War III
might warrant at least a listen from all sides of the issue,
especially the side which seems to represent what most of the world
wants. 12 million people demonstrate for peace, and we're brushed off
as little more than a "political lobby group". I WISH. At least
politicians MEET with political lobby groups.
There are those of you out there who've waited on the sidelines. You
aren't quite convinced either way. Shouldn't get Saddam? Don't we
want to be the liberators? Still others don't really pay mind to this
war business at all. You've got a job to think about... kids to
raise. You can't waste your time being one of "those" people... the
ones who carry signs. The whining liberals who hate America, right?
You might have even made fun of them occasionally... we're easy
targets, I know. We are putting themselves out there in the public
eye, after all. We're practically BEGGING for you to drive by with
your 'thumbs down' and smirk meant to urge us to, "Lighten up! You
don't need to be so SERIOUS all of the time!"
To those people, I can only say this: It is not a question of Iraq.
It is not a question of Saddam Hussein or al-Qaeda or even terrorism.
The question is whether or not you feel there is anything in this
civilization worth saving. If there is, then you must work for peace.
You can start by wearing a button or t-shirt in whatever style you
choose. Make your own. Use your voice! I know you have SOME opinion
about this. You can wear it to work, to school - the important thing
is to wear it. Allow people to approach you about it, and engage in
dialogue.
Here's how I dialogue: I steer away from the CNN topics of the day
(It's fairly easy to do when you're homeless.) My style is to talk
about how war is stupid, because it is. Jeannette Rankin, the first
woman in the world to be elected to a legislative body, and the woman
who cast the lone vote against entering WWII, said it best:
"The most futile occupation that a thinking person can engage in
today is that of trying to make war and the war system a reasonable
and just institution. The only way to prevent the injustices and
wrongs essential to war is to prevent war itself."
Even the most die-hard proponent of Operation Shock and Awe won't
find many arguments against this. Use your own experiences. Why ARE
you opposed to war? Again - don't focus on Middle East policy if
you're not an expert in it. Some of these folks watch CNN a LOT, and
you'll feel dumb and small if you haven't been (which is FAR from the
truth). Those CNNsters will feed you all sorts of fancy lingo, but
just ignore that. Encourage them to ignore it. Most folks agree that
what they see in the news is garbage - it's just a matter of deciding
if it's too corporate or too "liberal". Who cares?
If you insist on dispelling a few of the myths people who watch TV
like to talk about, then please peruse this Voices in the Wilderness
fact sheet
(http://www.nonviolence.org/vitw/pages/myth_reality_war.html). You
should read it anyway, since it will serve to strengthen your
resolve. There are many VitW activists in Baghdad at this moment,
waiting to bear witness to the atrocities of war for all of us living
in the relative comfort of home. Those people are my heroes. I can't
even imagine the terror they must feel on the eve of this war... the
one that's supposed to liberate them from terrorists. My hope is that
they will make those fence-straddlers hang their heads in shame for
being afraid to wear a button or t-shirt to publicly express their
opinions against war. It's the very least we can do.
After a while, you will begin to feel more comfortable with engaging
in dialogue. You will, in fact, wish to do more. You will build
relationships with the people who share your beliefs. You may start
talking about taking some direct action, and this is the point where
you can start what's known as an "affinity group". All that means is
that you few will plan and carry out some sort of action. There are
many to choose from, but I only advocate the non-violent ones. It is
important to familiarize yourself with the rules of non-violence.
Many resources for this are available on the internet, as are many
examples of creative non-violent action. My favorite website,
indymedia.org, has consistently covered these events.
A favorite one I read about recently dealt with the arrest of a
petite mother in New York who stood dressed as an Easter bunny next
to a display containing "patriotic" pro-war Easter baskets. Her sign
read: "Help! There's a G.I. Joe in my Easter basket!". As she was led
away in handcuffs for her crime, she expressed great pleasure with
the outcome of her solitary action.
"Easter baskets are for chocolate Easter bunnies, not G.I. Joes!"
That was the only point she wished to make.
She did.
And you can, too! If you had told me five years ago that I would be
walking across America for democracy, I'd still be laughing. All I
can say is this: one day, you just get to a point where you
understand that everything you thought was important is not. The only
important thing in life is to make the world a better place than it
was when you found it. Even if you can't see a difference now, you
must work towards this goal anyway. You have to look at the choices
you make now not in terms of what people will think of you now, but
how they will think of you 50 years from now. Do you want to be the
kind of person who's remembered for keeping silent while innocent
people died in your name, or do you want to be remembered with pride
by your children and grandchildren as one of the brave people
responsible for making the world the peaceful place we want them to
inherit?
History is happening right now. You - YES, YOU - play a crucial role
in how it will write itself... how we will be remembered 50, 100, 500
years from now. It is a great responsibility to be living in this
time, and I hope you will give serious thought to how you are going
to act. Those great mentors of ours are calling out to us...
encouraging us to take up the flame and become the Gandhis, the Dr.
Kings, the Dorothy Days, the Mother Joneses and Joe Hills of
tomorrow. They wouldn't stand for their teachings being appropriated
by people who are afraid to take action, so don't summon their words
if you can't follow through with their intent.
Let's stop this problem of war forever... right now. Let's stop it
today. We have so much power, and we don't even know it! All of this
could end in a moment - for better or worse. You won't have a job or
kids to worry about after WWIII, I guarantee it.
Call in sick to work and get out on the streets. There's other people
out there - I promise. Having walked all over this country, I can
promise that any nearby town with a population over 30,000 will have
a peace group, and they will be on the streets when we start bombing.
You will find that many of the folks there look and think just like
you, so go meet 'em! Don't just sit around feeling helpless and alone.
Students - walk out of class and camp out on your campus. I know from
experience that you've skipped classes for less important things than
this. Make it MEAN something this time. Refuse to leave your
institution of learning until this situation is peacefully resolved.
Talk to each other. Find that humanity you share with every single
person in this world of ours, for we are not separated by lines on
maps. Stop waiting for the world to be legislated for you by Guys in
Suits who are not the least bit concerned with what your thoughts and
feelings are right now. Don't let these Guys in Suits profit from
your feelings of helplessness. You always have a choice! Nothing is
inevitable. If all of us got together and talked this out, we would
understand this... and we would not allow war be an option EVER.
In America - we have a good record of doing this. It would be
inconceivable to carpet bomb - say, Ohio, if they had a governor our
President deemed "evil". If we can just extend this common sense to
the rest of the world, we would be on the forefront of a human
revolution for peace instead of the complete extinction of our
species... which is the only direction I see this war pulling us
towards. It might not happen in a week or month or even a year, but
it is setting the precedence for it to happen in the very near
future. These things tend to have a domino effect. Which row are you
going to set in motion?
The line has been drawn. The cards have been dealt. Many metaphors
are poised awaiting your action. Which side are you on?
Are you with us, or are you with us?
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See also:
http://www.thewalkfordemocracy.org
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Comments
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Re: Democracy Pilgrim Jeanette Wallis On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience |
by Jeanette
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
19 Mar 2003
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Woops! Madly posting everywhere, and accidently pasted an intro to one of the many news outlets I'm trying to contact. Please ignore. Didn't see the "edit" password entry thingie till it was too late. :-( |
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Jeanette, I've Edited It |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
19 Mar 2003
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Jeanette,
I've edited out the intro. If it looks OK, that's good, if not, I've saved what was edited out and can restore it. Just let me know here if it isn't the way you want it and I will fix it. |
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